Tabs

San Juan Capistrano

Letters to the Editor Residents Respond to OCSD ArticleEditor’s note: We received a number of responses to the article “Does $8 Million Buy Quality Service?” in the May edition about the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Listed below are some of the emails we received. Names have been withheld upon request.___________________________________________________

It was my home that a prowler attempted to break into on April 2. It was I who tackled and held the criminal until the sheriffs arrived. It was I who then watched them drive him to the safety of his own secure home.

We subsequently learned that on the same night, within the same hour, two of my neighbors had somebody try to break into their units also (sheriffs took reports). Weeks later another neighbor returned home from a trip and viewed the same prowler on a surveillance video tape (face is clearly visible) trying to enter their unit on the same night & hour (provided to sheriffs).

As far as I know, there have been no arrests to date. I’m sure that the local sheriffs and district attorney have difficult jobs with many difficult obstacles to hurdle, but…

Satisfied? What do you think? I’d like a tax refund please to pay for a security system and Tazer Gun.

____________________________________________________

Of course there are two sides to every story, and the example given [in the article in the May edition of CCS] would be frustrating. But I somewhat have my doubts, especially seeing that the officer took the offender home. That sounds like the officer knew that would be the best course of action. How do we know the person doesn't possess some sort of mental issue? By all means arrest the confused! Now let's move on a bit.

I lived in a few communities in my 51 years as a Southern California native, in my experience there are some law enforcement agencies that are good and some not so. This being my very first community (San Juan) that employed the OCSD. I can tell without a doubt you are getting a good deal and a well trained and level headed team. Look at your police blotter and the trivial calls they get here just make me laugh. But all in all they respond and address each one that other agencies wouldn't even bother showing up for.

They support every live event we have with a friendly smile and a professional demeanor. When I had to call in a drug enraged neighbor, they showed and took control and to boot the came by the house a few days later to see how things are going. Really? Who does that? You are getting a good deal and I back these men and women one hundred percent. Just drive north and you will see how bad it gets. Be thankful.John Crane__________________________________________________Failed to arrest my ex-husband for domestic violence.

Let non licensed driver who hit my car go. My insurance was sued by her for damage to her vehicle. Accident happened at Boys and Girls club in front of officer.

A 14 year old was assaulted in my neighborhood with witnesses, by another minor who had a record. When police came, they yelled at the victim and informed the mother that she could not make the request to go after the minor who assaulted her daughter. They yelled "do you want to go to court? Do you want to be a victim?" repeatedly to this girl. In front of approximately 9 teenagers the police stated "short of murder, there is no room in juvenile hall". This was something that may have led other minor teens to commit crimes knowing the police would no virtually nothing.

A 15 year old boy [in my neighborhood] molested 3 young children. When grandma of initial child of concern contacted police, she explained her grandson was locked in the house with this 15 year old - beaten with welts on his rear. The police stated "kids will be kids" and left. The beaten, molested child was 6 years old. The family had to go to Orange to begin a horrifying case. The 15 year old was finally arrested. He is supposed to be in juvenile hall until he is 18.

I do not believe it is worth 8 million dollars a year to maintain a contract with the OCSD.

____________________________________________________

$8 million is only $228 per resident per year. I think less than $20 per month per resident for quality police services is a bargain.

I have not had any bad experiences with OCSD.

_____________________________________________________

I own and operate [name and business name withheld]. I must say I don’t quite understand the procedure of the OCSD.

I don’t think the sheriffs are the problem. I think the problem lies in the policies they have to follow. I have theft at my location and vandalism. The sheriffs are kind and courteous. They take the report but then it is over. The detectives never call back or communicate in any way. I pay to have this service and if I ran my business like they do I would be out of business.

In 2014 I personally apprehended a known serial thief. I recognized him from Channel 9 news. He was wanted in three different counties and I caught him. The OCSD arrested him (by the way they did a great job). But I never heard from the District Attorney and I never was compensated for the damage he caused. Recently this same thief robbed my friend in San Clemente for over 2,000 dollars.

I recently installed high tech security cameras. I can capture license plates but to no avail. I need help from OCSD to apprehend these criminals. I don’t expect jail time I expect accountability for their actions. If we don’t hold them accountable these crimes will continue and escalate._________________________________________________I have lived in SJC for 11 year and in that time:

2 of my family members have been in accidents with drivers in SJC that did not have valid drivers licenses. Both times the OCSD let them go and didn't tow their cars. Both times the drivers showed fake insurance and got away with it and my family was left with the bills. The officers said they can't do anything about drivers without licenses...so why should any of us bother? Our home has been broken into once and our garage twice...OCSD’s attitude was one of annoyance that we called them.

Several times mail has been stolen from neighborhood mailboxes causing many to have their identity stolen and other related problems. OCSD said Southern OC has been seeing a lot of this. In fact, recently a friend told me her check to the IRS was stolen from the mailbox in front of the SJC Post Office between 2 and 3 in the afternoon (she mailed it at 2 and pick up was 3). The post office and the OCSD both told her this has been a reoccurring problem. Why doesn't the OCSD then warn us about what is going on so that people can decide whether to risk using that mailbox?

The OCSD is great at issuing traffic tickets in our town on Ortega and on Rancho Viejo. I say use the 8 million to hire our own police force to hand out tickets and use the revenue to hire private security for our town.

____________________________________________________

A check that we were mailing was stolen from our mailbox in our neighborhood. The amount was altered to add $500 on to the total. We found out about it when the liquor store that cashed the check demanded we pay the check when our bank refused to pay it because they suspected fraud. I called the OCSD and the deputies who came to our house were professional but were reluctant to take a report, telling me that the crime wasn’t in their jurisdiction since the check was cashed in another county. I said the mail theft occurred here in San Juan; isn’t that a crime? No response to that. They did take a report though. I insisted they at least try to track down the thief, since the liquor store owner had her fingerprint on the check, and a driver’s license #. They again refused, telling me that they would “never catch her; this happens all the time.” It was frustrating.____________________________________________________

Maybe the reason the sheriffs don't want to take a report is because it then adds to the crime statistics?

1 comment:

I wish there were more places like this, because it was simply too amazing for words. I came to New York city party with my boyfriend the other night, and it was absolutely fabulous. The use of wood throughout the place adds a very warm and inviting feel to venue.

Current Issue

Click to read issue online

Welcome to the Community Common Sense!

The CCS is a non-partisan community watchdog publication distributed to homes and businesses in the city of San Juan Capistrano.

The CCS was established in San Juan Capistrano in 2009 by a group of residents who recognized that our money was often spent in ways that enriched a select few, while residents were left with the resulting increases to cost of living, traffic and debt.

We believe knowledge is power. Aided by Public Records Act requests for information and extensive research, we print fact-based information about these and other issues which enables residents to make educated decisions about local leadership. We do the homework – you decide!

Follow us on Twitter!

Community Specifics

OC Register on Capistrano

Subscribe!

Translate

Capistrano City Hall Compensation

With high unemployment levels and with our City's debt at over $100 million, reigning in City costs is more important than ever. In a recent CCS article, we published a detailed list of City Hall compensation and benefit expenses by position and employee. You can view the details yourself and decide whether you think this is a good use of scarce taxpayer dollars.